More IMDB Charts

kirksplat

Sorry if this is posted elsewhere, but I didn't see it in the forums.

All episodes of Trek compared, weighted by Imdb users:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/03/28/these-graphs-prove-star-trek-the-next-generation-is-better-than-the-original-series/

Any reactions or comments? Does it really show that TNG was "better" than other series?

bombassdmb

I much prefer DS9 and VOY over TNG. I thought the depth of the characters was better in both series, and I thought the writing of DS9 was superior to both. VOY had better aliens as nemeses too although the writing was sub-par frequently given the spectacular premise. VOY had the best actor as captain of the three although Patrick Stewart certainly is no slouch. I am a child of the 90s so the original Trek was a little dated for me so I cannot offer an unbiased opinion on that. I also have yet to watch most of the Enterprise series although a buddy of mine swears up and down that it was the best. So I offer no opinion on that one as well. Also I don't like Scott Bakula. Personal opinion though. I am currently re-watching VOY on Netflix for the first time in ten years after having re-watched DS9 prior to that. I am currently in season 4 and plan on watching Enterprise after that. So my memories of those two series are the freshest.

All of this is obviously my opinion and I have my flame retardant and Troll-B-Gone at the ready for anyone who wishes to disagree.

steamwright

The comment on that page that Enterprise's last episode low score "might be telling us that fans don't care for actor Jonathan Frakes" is just wrong. The episode was a sloppy mess of writing, not Frakes fault.

I'm surprised that DS9's Duet was one of the three highest. I rarely hear it discussed, though it is a fine episode. I am extremely surprised that Far Beyond The Stars and In The Pale Moonlight are not topping the deck with The Visitor. I usually hear these three discussed more than any other DS9 episode, except perhaps the tribble one. I suppose In The Pale Moonlight might not have made the list because it is a perfect shade of gray, and Trekkers are so used to their heroes being white knights.

The low mark on DS9, Let He Who Is Without Sin, I can see, though again, I'm a tad surprised, because most every discussion about the entirety of the series notes that season one was where most of the weak episodes were.

The Voyager top dog, Blink of An Eye, was a fun episode, but I would have rated Death Wish higher. (By the way, the Blink of an Eye planet, with its hyper existence, should be spawning deep space exploration by the time of STO. I'm surprised we've not seen their explorers yet. They would, of course, have to sacrifice their home lives to travel.)

daqhegh

My favorites were always Next Gen and DS9. I didn't despise ENT and I seriously didn't like VOY. TOS is floating for me -- I adore Spock and it's the one I go to when I'm in the mood for Trek but don't know what to watch.

lilchibiclari

steamwright wrote: »

The Voyager top dog, Blink of An Eye, was a fun episode, but I would have rated Death Wish higher. (By the way, the Blink of an Eye planet, with its hyper existence, should be spawning deep space exploration by the time of STO. I'm surprised we've not seen their explorers yet. They would, of course, have to sacrifice their home lives to travel.)

They already had a ship capable of tractor-beaming Voyager out of orbit by the end of the episode. Given the relative time scales involved, they have by now had hundreds of millennia to develop beyond that, and may be advanced enough to give the Voth a run for their money.

tyranthraxisii

bombassdmb wrote: »

VOY had the best actor as captain of the three

You make me want to puke

iconians

TOS was light-hearted, campy, and just plain silly. 1960's pastels and 1960's special effects. These things do not age well.

Inside the campiness you have the heart of Star Trek. Underneath the poor make-up budget and Shatner's attempts to be Gary Cooper or Steve McQueen while wearing that ridiculous uniform, you have what some people loved.

The message.

The message that the future was bright and optimistic. After World War II, this is what America (and the world) needed. A bright and hopeful future, filled with mirth and a sense of wonder of what was out there. More importantly, it was the message of modern-day social justice issues and pop culture topics loosely disguised as allegories.

TNG was riding the coat-tails of the end of the Cold War. We were much more serious. The threat of Nuclear Annihilation had all but passed, and we discovered that as a civilization... we've grown up. When we have a gun pointed at our own head for so long, we reflect on how dumb and immature we must have been.

TNG is the bridging of the gap of our past and our future. TNG is truly "The Next Generation", because we're no longer comfortable in the childlike 'world' of TOS.

Do I think TNG is the best series? I think over-all it has some of the most mediocre episodes that nobody cares about. The 'social justice' issues highlighted in TNG do not compare to the very fundamental issues touched on in TOS. Mainly because the network became a lot smarter about what allegories could be used.

I don't remember much in the way of LGBT allegories in TNG, DS9, or Voyager -- even though many could say it was probably one of the hot-button social justice issues of the modern times. The closest I think they got was that ridiculous episode with Jadzia and whatsherface making out. But even then, I wouldn't consider that 'pushing the limit' of television controversy as Kirk and Uhura's inter-racial kiss.

If I could describe every Star Trek series as a separate part that makes up the entire 'body' of the franchise, it would go something like this.

TOS is what I would consider the heart and soul of Star Trek. It is the cradle. But we must grow up and move out of the cradle at some point.

TNG is the body of Star Trek. It shows its past, and it shows the future ahead of Star Trek.

DS9 is what I would consider the intellect of Star Trek. Challenging questions are asked. The Dominion is truly the Anti-Federation and its only real equal in the galaxy. The Borg might have been a faceless and unspeakable evil, but the Dominion are the opposite side of the same coin the Federation exists on. DS9 describes what kind of 'person' Star Trek is, and how the mind reacts to various adult topics that TOS could never touch.

Voyager is what I would consider the beginnings of fatigue of the franchise. The beginning symptoms of disease. Small symptoms here and there. But to the skilled eye and perception, you begin to see that Star Trek is starting to lose its steam. There is no direction anymore. There is no goal. Voyager had potential but fell short of what it could have been.

And Enterprise is the result of end-stage disease. A toxic mix of dementia and cancer that is destroying the franchise, but tries to hide its illness from its loved ones -- constant fanservice and references to the past is Star Trek saying goodbye to its fans, and to remember it how it was, not how it currently exists.

We often say our best years are our teenage/adolescent/young adult years -- and if that's the case, I'd say that was TNG. It set the stage for how things currently are in Star Trek, while allowing DS9 to venture into more 'mature' topics, before Voyager signals weakness, and Enterprise signals demise.

mirrorchaos

andrea is saying fans dont like john frakes because of the final ent episode of season 4? what the hell.

it failed hard because the whole final episode was just a waste, it wasnt because of frakes playing riker.